Lock-actuating structure



y 1940- A. BRESCH 2,199,613

LO CK-ACTUATING STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 26, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIH INVENTOE fl/ber/ L. ,Brsc/L fly a /4% HTTOEA/EY y 7, 1940- A. BRESCH 2.199.613 I LOCK-ACTUATING STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 26. 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 v ul yyi' M j 5] VENTOE ,7 14/66/2 L. Breach.

52 BY Q2 AM. 54 v Patented May 7, 1940 LOCK-ACTUATING STRUCTURE Albert L. Bresch, University City, Mo. Application August 26, 1936, Serial No. 97,961

18 Claims.

This invention relates to a certain new and useful improvement in structures adapted especially though not exclusively, for the actuation of locking-bolts or latch bolts and similar devices.

My invention has for its object the provision of a key-actuable structure of the type and for the purpose stated in which both the key and lock-actuating structure proper comprise a pluruality of movable parts or members precisely and accurately constructed, dimensioned, and inter-related for co-operation in a predetermined, synchronous manner for effecting lockbolt actuation.

And with the above and other objects in view, my invention resides in the novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of parts presently described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings (2 sheets) Figure 1 is an enlarged elevational cross-sectional view of a lockbolt-actualting structure embodying my invention, showing the drivenmember of the structure in retracted position;

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the lock-structure;

Figure 3 is anelevational cross-sectional view of the structure, taken in a different plane from Figure 1 and showing the driven-member thereof in projected position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary horizontal crosssectional view of the structure, taken approximately on the line 44, Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the structure, taken approximately on the line 5-5, Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary elevational-crosssectional view of the key or actuator of thestructure;

Figure 7 is a horizontal detail sectional view of the structure, taken approximately along the line 1-4, Figure 3; and

Figure 8 is a detail sectional view of the structure, taken approximately along line 88, Figure 3.

Referring now more in detail and by reference characters to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of my present invention, A designates a driven-bar, B a drivingshaft, C is a blocking screw, and D an actuator or key, which, together, provide a unique type of synchronous self-locking mechanical movement, the bar A, shaft B, and the blocking screw C being operably disposed in a suitable housing E adapted for permanent disposition mounted in a door or door jamb G, as the case may be, while the actuator or key D is adapted for removable disposition in a preferably rectilinear recess F provided in the housing E.

The key or actuator D, in turn, comprises a preferably rectilinear shell or casing I designed to fit snugly within the key-receiving recess F of the housing E and is provided on its front,

face with an annular shoulder 2 against which aknurled collar 3 is operatively held by a rigid engagement flange 4.

Disposed annularly on the inner face of the collar 3, is a circular rack 5 operatively engaging a small cogwheel 6 rigidly mounted on a shaft 1 journalled for rotation in the casing I,

Formed in the shell or casing l, are two recesses 8 and 9, as best seen in Figure 1 The shaft 1 extends into the lower portionof the recess 8 and has fixed on its inner extremity a bevel-gear In, which meshes with a bevel-gear H rotatably disposed in the bottom of the recess 8 for operation in a substantially horizontal plane; ,Also disposed in the bottom of the recess 8 and meshing with the gear H in diametrically opposed relation to the bevel-gear I0, is a bevelgear l2 rigidly mounted on a shaft l3 also journalled within the shell or casing l and extending rearwarly into the recess 9.

Rigidly mounted on the rear extremity of the shaft I3, is a bevel-gear l4 meshing with a bevel-gear I5 mounted for rotation in the bottom of the recess 9 for operation in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof. Thus, it will be seen that, when the knurled collar 3 is rotated, the rack 5, under engagement with the cogwheel 6, will rotate the shaft 1, which, in turn, through meshing gears l0, H, and I2, and the shaft l3 and gear I 4 effects rotation of the bevel-gear l5, for a purpose presently described.

Preferably integrally formed with, and extending axially upwardly from, the bevel-gear ll, referencebeing made to Figure 1, is a cylinder or barrel I6 provided upon its periphery, as best seen in Figure 6, with a spiral track I 1.

Journalled at its lower end in the casing l and rigidly mounted in, and extending axially through, the bevel-gear II, is a post l8 circular in cross-section for a portion of its length, specifically from its lower extremity to a point x,

as shown in Figures 1 and 6, from which point and throughout the remainder of its length, the post I8 is rectangular in cross-section.

Rigidly mounted in the casing l and extending axially downwardly into the recess 8, is a cylindrical sleeve 2| provided peripherally with a spiral track 22 having the same pitch andv ing an outer diametrical dimension somewhat smaller than the diametrical dimension of a circular channel 25 formed axially of the recess 8 and opening at its upper end to the upper face of the casing i in registration with the lower end 26 of a circular channel 21 formed in the housing E for operatively accommodating th driving-shaft B.

Preferably integrally formed with, and axially upwardly extending from, the bar 24', is a bit 28, and formed within the bar or member 24 is a longitudinal channel 29 having a diametrical dimension larger than the greatest cross-sectional dimension of the post iii, the bar 24 at the lower end of and within the channel 29 being provided with a collar 35 having a rectangular opening for snugly accommodating the squared or rectangular upper end-portion of the post 18.

Extending radially outwardly from the periphery of the bar 24 adjacent the lower end thereof, is a rigid pin 32 adapted, on rotary actuation of the cylinder 46, to move or travel longitudinally in the slot 23 and within the spiral track 11.

Hence, as the cylinder i6 and post 98 are rotarily actuated on rotation of the bevel-gears Ill and H, the pin 3?. will be caused to travel along the cylinder-track ll and consequently longitudinally upwardly in the slot 23 of the sleeve 2!, thereby shifting the bar 24 longitudinally upwardly. Since the lower circular portion of the post I8 is substantially smaller in diametrical dimension than the cross-sectional dimension of the upper square-shaped portion thereof, the post l8 will rotate freely within the bar 24 until the pin 32 has reached the point 11:. At such point, independent longitudinal travel of the bar 24 ceases, the respective upper ends of the cylinder I5 and track ll being reached, and thereupon, the square collar 3! moving into gripping engagement with the square portion of the post l8, the bar 24 will rotate with the post 18. Upon such further rotation of the bar 24, the pin 32 enters and travels upwardly along the spiral track 22 in the sleeve 2|.

Thus, the bar 24 is caused first or initially to move longitudinally forwardly without rotation and then subsequently at a predetermined point take up rotative motion while continuing its forward longitudinal translation, all for a purpose presently described.

Associated with the bevel-gear I5, is similar mechanism comprising a cylinder H5, track l1, sleeve 2!, track 22, closed end slot 23, and pin 32 for similarly effecting actuation of an engaging bar 33 having a screw-bit 34 and being like in all respects to the engaging bar 24. The 1ongitudinal axis of the bar 33, however, is angularly disposed to, and longitudinally spaced from, the longitudinal axis of the bar 24, and, consequently, the longitudinal axis of the entire mechanism associated with the bar 33 will be similarly angularly disposed to the longitudinal axis of the bar 24. It has, however, been found preferable that the longitudinal axes of these two substantially identical mechanisms lie in the same vertical plane.

Operably disposed in a suitable recess 35 formed in the housing E and slidably keyed to the driving-shaft B, as shown in Figure l, is a helical-gear 36.

The shaft B is formed at its lower extremity with a downwardly opening slot 3! for engagement with the bit 23 on the bar 24 and is also provided on its upper extremity with threads 38 for engaging a threaded socket 39 in the housing E, the slot 3! being positioned so that, as the bar 24 is non-rotatively upwardly translated during its initial movement, the bit 28 will move into close fitting engagement with the slot 31, which engagement will be finally completed precisely at the moment that the pin 32 of the bar 24 reaches the point :0, as previously described, whereupon the shaft B will be rotated with, and upon the rotation of, the bar 24, such rotation effecting longitudinal translation of the shaft B upwardly into the socket 39 through the action of the threads 38. It will be obvious, of course, that the pitch of the threads 38 must correspond with the pitch of the spiral track 22 in the sleeve 2|, so that the longitudinal translation of the shaft B will correspond with the longitudinal translation of the bar 24, thereby preserving the opera tive engagement therebetween and, at the same time, operatively rotating the helical-gear 36, which, by reason of its slidable connection with the shaft B, will rotate, but not translate longitudinally, with the shaft B.

Rotatably mounted in the recess 35, is a second helical-gear 40 disposed for engagement at an angle of with the helical-gear 36, and slidably keyed in the gear 40, is the driven-shaft or bar A, which is provided at one extremity with threads 4| operatively engageable with an internally threaded recess 42 in the housing E, the bar A at its opposite extremity being diametrical- 1y enlarged, as at 43, and formed with a round abutment end-face, as at 44.

Formed on the bar A preferably midway of its enlarged portion 43, is a large helical thread 45 having a uniform pitch, a side face of the thread being provided with a spiral channel 45' of uniform width, the axial curve of the channel 45 being of increasing radius as the thread progresses rearwardly toward the geared end 4| of the bar A, so that a blocking-wedge element 46 engageable in the channel 45' will necessarily be forced radially outwardly continuously as the bar A moves longitudinally forwardly past the wedge 43 and at the same time cannot be pulled entirely out of operative engagement with the helical thread 45. Thus, the blocking wedge 46 will be positively held in a fixed relative position with respect to the bar A despite wear and other accidental causes and will not fall out of engagement with the helical thread 45 or be subject to unauthorized removal therefrom. It may be further pointed out in this connection that the blocking wedge element 46 will normally function properly even in the absence of the spiral channel 45', the latter being provided largely to insure more positive and perfect functioning of the mechanism.

The wedge 46 forms part of the blocking-screw C and for movement vertically in the housing E is pinned to a screw proper 4! having threaded engagement with a fiat gear 48 and being slidably keyed at its lower extremity in a socket 49 formed in the housing E.

Meshing with the gear 48, is a second flat gear 50, in which is slidably keyed a blocking-screw driving member 5!, which is provided at its lower extremity with a slot 52 for operable connection with the bit 34 of the bar 33, and which is also threaded, as at 53, on its upper end-portion for engagement with an internally threaded socket 54.

It is to be noted that the threads 53 should be such that, on rotation, the member 5|, will be caused to travel longitudinally upwardly, while the threads of the screw 41 should run in the reverse direction, so that the screw 4'! will be lon gitudinally translated downwardly as the member 5| is translated upwardly.

Pivotally mounted in a lock-frame or housing 62, as best seen in Figure 2, is a bell-crank 63, one arm 64 of which is engageable with the end-face 44 of the shaft A and the other arm 65 of which operatively engages a latch, bolt, or the like 66 yieldingly urged by a spring 6! into locking engagement with a keeper 68.

In use and operation, the key D being inserted into the housing E and the knurled collar 3 being rotatably actuated, the bar 24 will be caused, as described, to move upwardly into engagement with the driving shaft B. Simultaneously, the bar 33 is moved into operative engagement with the driving member 5| of the blocking-screw C. Under the rotary movement so imparted to the driving shaft B, the helical-gear 36 is rotated, which, in turn, effects rotation of the helical-gear 40 and the slidably keyed shaft A, which latter, under the co-action of its threaded portion 4| with the threads of the socket 42, is caused to travel forwardly in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1.

Simultaneously, rotation of the bar 33 effects rotation of the blocking-screw driving member 5|, which, in turn, rotates the flat gear 50, thereby producing rotation of the flat gear 48. Since the blocking screw shank 4? is axially threaded in the fiat gear 48 and slidably keyed in the socket 49, the rotation of the flat gear 48 will produce longitudinally downward translation of the member 41, thereby allowing a corresponding amount of freedom for vertically downward movement of the wedge 46, and since the wedge 46 is engaged in the spiral channel 45, which radially increases, it will be seen that the vertically downward movement of the wedge 46 must be precisely arranged, so that its upper tip will always just clear the bottom surface 45' between the threads 45. Under such conditions, the shaft A will be free to translate forwardly, thereby actuating the bellcrank 53, which, in turn, releases the latch 66 from the keeper 68.

If the shaft or driven-member A is rotated or longitudinally translated either too rapidly or too slowly to correspond with the timed withdrawal of the wedge 46 by the screw 41, it will'be seen that the threads 45 and the bottom intervening surface 45 will jam against the wedge 46, and movement thereof is prevented.

It may be stated in this connection that variations of pitch of the spiral tracks 22 or IT, or the threaded portions 38, 53,41, or 45, variations in the amount of longitudinal movement required to bring the bits 28, 34, into operative rotating engagement with the shaft B and blocking-screw C, or, further, variation in the angle or lateral spacing between the longitudinal axes of the bars 24, 33, will provide an almost infinite number of unique combinations, such as is necessary in a movement designed for lock-actuation.

It will also be seen that the present movement may be utilized to provide an absolutely burglarproof and pick-prooflock, since the only manner in which the structure may be actuated is to rotate the driving member B and the blockingscrew C simultaneously at a unique combination of relative speeds and along axial lines uniquely angularly disposed and laterally spaced with respect to each other. When the actuator or key D is removed from the housing E, it is practically impossible to accomplish this result, for the number 01' unique combinations which may be obtained in the present movement is so very large that duplicate combinations need never be resorted to in actual manufacture. Furthermore, the recess into the housing E, which is vacated upon removal of the key D, is relatively small, with the additional result that it is practically impossible to operate the structure by the insertion of burglars tools or other similar instruments.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a driven bar longitudinally and rotarily movable in the housing for endwise projection, and a shaft longitudinally and rotarily movable in the housing angularly disposed to, and having driving connection with, the bar.

2. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a driven bar longitudinally and rotarily movable in the housing for endwise projection, and a shaft longitudinally and rotarily movable in the housing right angularly disposed to, and having thread-and-gear driving connection with, the bar.

3. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a bar longitudinally and rotatably movable within the housing for endwise projection, and a rigid shaft longitudinally and rotatably movable in the housing angularlydisposed to, and having driving connection with, the bar, the shaft having a bit-slot at an end.

4. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a peripherally channeled driven member shiftable in the housing for endwise projection, and retractile means engageable with said member at said channel, said retractile means and said member being mutually and progressively movable only when actuated with respect to each other along predetermined relative paths and at predetermined relative speeds.

5. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a driven member mounted in the housing for rotary and longitudinal movement, said driven member having a helical channel, and means including a retractile wedge-member cooperatively engageable with said driven member at said channel for permitting movement of the driven member only when the driven member and. said wedge are moved with respect to each other along predetermined relative paths and at predetermined relative speeds.

6. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a shaft rotatively and translatively disposed in the housing, the shaft having a helical channel increasing radially in depth from its one end to its other end, a shoulder on the shaft having a radially inwardly disposed surface continuously parallel to the bottom of the channel, a shoe engageable between the shoulder and the bottom of the channel, driving means for rotatively and longitudinally moving the shaft, and means for retractively moving the shoe along the channel in concordance with the movement of the shaft.

'7. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a peripherally channeled driven member shiftable in the housing for endwise projection, and retractile means disposed at an oblique angle to and engageable with said member at said channel, said retractile means and said member being mutually and progressively movable only when actuated with respect to each other along predetermined relative paths and at predetermined relative speeds.

' 8. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a' peripherally channeled driven member shiftable in the housing for endwise projection, a driving member mounted for rotatable and longitudinally shiftable movement within the housing having driving connection with the driven member, and retractile means engageable with said driven member at said channel, said retractile means and said member being mutually and progressively movable only when actuated with respect to each other along predetermined relative paths and at predetermined relative speeds.

9. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a peripherally channeled driven member shift-able in the housing for endwise projection, a driving member mounted for rotatable and longitudinally shiftable movement within the housing having driving connection with the driven member and disposed at an angle of 90 degrees thereto, and retractile means engageable with said driven member at said channel, said retractile means and said member being mutually and progressively movable only when actuated with respect to each other along predetermined relative paths and at predetermined relative speeds.

10. In a structure of the class described, a housin a peripherally channeled driven member shiftable in the housing for endwise projection, a driving member mounted for rotatable and longitudinally shiftable movement within the housing having driving connection with the driven member and disposed at an angle of 90 degrees thereto, and retractile means disposed at an oblique angle both to the driven member and the driving member and being engageable with said driven member at said channel, said retractile means and said members being mutually and progressively movable to each other along predetermined relative paths and at predetermined relative speeds.

11. In a device of the character described, a housing, a shaft rotatively and translatively disposed in the housing, said shaft having a helical channel increasing radially in depth from its one end to its other end, a shoulder in said channel having a radially inwardly presented surface continuously parallel to the bottom wall of the channel, a shoe engageable between the shoulder and the bottom wall of the channel, driving means for rotatively and longitudinally moving the shaft, and means for retractively moving the shoe along the channel in concordance with the movement of the shaft.

12. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a bar rotarily mounted in the housing for axial translation with respect thereto, driving means operatively connected to said bar for simultaneously rotating and translating said bar, retractile means normally in blocking engagement with said bar, and means for retractively moving said retractile means out of blocking engagement with'said bar in unique timed relation to the movement of the driving means for permitting rotational and translational movement of the bar.

13. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a bar rotarily and shiftably mounted in the housing and at its one end having threaded engagement therewith, a worm gear mounted for non-shiftable rotation in the housing and being keyed to the bar for producing rotation of the bar, driving means operatively engaged with said worm gear, retractile means normally in blocking engagement with said bar, and means for retractively moving said retractile means out of blocking engagement with said bar in unique timed relation to themovement of the driving means for permitting rotational and translational movement of the bar.

14.. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a bar rotarily mounted in the housing for axial translation with respect thereto, driving means operatively connected to said bar for simultaneously rotating and translating said bar, retractile means normally in blocking engagement with said bar, and means for retractively moving said retractile means out of blocking engagement with said bar in unique timed relation to the movement of the driving means for permitting rotational and translational movement of the bar, said means including a pair of identical gears mounted in the housing for nonshiftable meshing engagement with each other, a drive rod splined to one of said gears and being threadedly mounted at its inner end in the housing, and an actuating rod threadcdly mounted in and extending axially through the other of said gears and being at its one end splined in the housing.

15. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a driven member movable in the housing for endwise projection, driving means in the housing having driving connection with the driven member, blocking means in the housing engageable with the driven member for normally preventing retracting or protracting movement thereof, and means for simultaneously operating the blocking means at one particular speed with relation to the speed of the driving means to release the driven member for retracting and protracting movement.

16. In a structure of the class describeda housing, a driven member movable in the housing for endwise projection, driving means in the housing having driving connection with the driven member, blocking means permanently in the path of movement of the driven member for normally preventing any separate movement thereof, and means operably connected with the blocking means for moving the blocking means when actuated only at a single predetermined speed synchronously with movement of the driving means at a single predetermined speed, whereby to effect movement of the driven member.

17. In a structure of the class described, a housing, a driven member movably mounted in the housing, driving means operably connected to the driven member, auxiliary means movably mounted in the housing, and means permanently connecting the driven member and the auxiliary means in such a manner that neither can be moved except when both are moved synchronously at a single predetermined relative speed.

18. In a structure of the class described, a housing having an open-end recess, a driven member disposed in the housing for longitudinal shiftable movement for endwise projection, driving means in the housing having driving engagement with the driven member, blocking means in the housing permanently interposed in the path of, and engageable with, the driven member for normally preventing longitudinal movement thereof, and means operably associated with the blocking means adapted, when actuated at one particular speed with relation to the speed of the driving means, to move the blocking means out of engagement so as to simultaneously permit movement of the driven member.

ALBERT L. BRESCI-I. 

